


With Him

by aurumdalseni (kyo_chan)



Series: Voltron Ficlets [14]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, I am living for this season, M/M, SHEITH - Freeform, Season 6 Spoilers, season 6, shiro loves you baby, vlds6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-23 17:32:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14938766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyo_chan/pseuds/aurumdalseni
Summary: Keith's time has come, and Shiro knows what he has to do.





	With Him

**Author's Note:**

> The ficlet that wouldn't leave my head after watching S6. Technically S2 in the timeline, but with that S6 feel. Hope you enjoy!

_**He is here.** _

Shiro already knows. Keith’s presence in the cockpit of the Black Lion feels like the glow of a hearth fire in this vastness of stars. His first instinct to smile, it always is, but anguish makes the warmth sticky and bitter. It’s not Shiro’s sadness, but he takes it onto himself, breathing it in through Black and letting it out into a shaky sigh. What he wouldn’t give to put his hand on Keith’s shoulder, tell him it’s all right. This is how it’s meant to be.

It’s time.

“ _I know you wanted this for me, Shiro. But I’m not you. I can’t lead them like you.”_

Shiro shakes his head, even though Keith can’t see it. “I know. You’re going to lead them like you.” He closes his eyes, and everything hits him like a wave. He’s startled to find he’s secretly been hoping this has been a dream all along. But no, he is gone, and he’ll never be able to tell Keith how much he believes in him. It’s a faith like no other, his guiding light and his reason for enduring this endless void of stars.

As the tendrils of Keith’s bond start to touch on Black, Shiro knows he’s got a wall up against the Lion. He desperately doesn’t want this, because it means that Keith will be forced to accept that Shiro’s gone as well. The only way Shiro has left to show his faith in Keith is to break down that wall, and he reaches out to Black.

_**Are you certain, my Paladin?** _

“Accept him as your own, and he won’t fail you. He’ll never give up. I promise you that.”

The Black Lion doesn’t answer, but Shiro can feel it as the stars of this plane light up brighter than he’s ever seen them. It sweeps through what’s left of him, gathering him up before it smashes into Keith’s resistance. The wall crumbles, and the Lion begins to awaken.

“ _Please,”_ Keith begs, “ _no.”_

Shiro shudders and wraps his arms around himself. There is no fire to be found in himself, it’s all Keith, and he gathers it to him as if he’ll never have another chance to know it. Keith is fire and light and brilliance, all the things the Red Lion sought in her Paladin. These are the things the Black Lion will fuse with his core of strength and a sense of leadership he doesn’t know he has yet.

Tears stream hot down Shiro’s face. He hadn’t even known it’s possible to cry here, but he can. “Trust me, Keith,” he murmurs. “I know you’ll be alright. I’m here.”

Black roars, and somewhere in the depths of the Castle of Lions, Shiro can feel the others responding. He sinks down to the glass-constellation ground of his vast, lonely world and clings tightly to the familiar warmth Keith brings to the Black Lion. He consoles himself by knowing that, as part of the Lion, he will always be with Keith every time he takes the controls, every time he flies.

In some way, that’s all Shiro has ever wanted.

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me about Sheith, season 6 or anything Voltron at my [tumblr](http://paladinpuppypile.tumblr.com)!


End file.
